Bare Faced

for the passed month or so ive truly been obsessed with girls wearing no make up!

its the first time im noticing how beautiful bare skin can actually be ..

dont get me wrong im not giving up on mascara, blush, a bit of bronzer, lip balm and especially eyeshadow for my eyebrows....BUT.. im really starting to hate foundation...

and even eyeshadow on the lids...

im just starting to notice how extremely fake it looks...

unfortunately with all the acne scarring i have left i cant go completely without make up..but i only cover up those areas with concealer and i stopped using powder completely! to be honest it doesnt work anyway..does powder REALLY control your shine? cause it does nothing for me..

right now im focusing on skin care..and the most important thing for me ..DIET..after trying everything else out i know now how important diet is to my skin.. the problem is when you ate whatever you wanted your whole life because you are one of those "lucky" people that eat fatty/sugary food and gain no weight ..you dont stop to think if this is affecting you in another way...

so now im TRYING to follow an anti-inflammatory, anti-candida diet and taking a whole lot of supplements...

im really trying to discipline myself because id really love to walk around with no foundation but with alot of confidence :)

any thoughts? im starting to feel like this no make up look is a new trend...



SuMmEr HaULiN'....

Ive been very good this summer..i promised my self i wouldn't buy any skin care or cosmetics since i have so many unopened products..so i stuck to the necessities..sort of!
......and btw that is my belly button in the mirror hahahah ;)

I had a big event this month so i had to repurchase my favourite foundation Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body SPF 15  in 2 shades darker since i got so tan..i went from a 03 Light/Medium to a 07 Medium/Deep..!

The sales assistant at the Estee Lauder counter insisted she do my make-up..it was so lovely ... and i got the "guilty consumer" feeling that i also purchased the Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer in 03 Amber Bronze Medium...it was more than i wanted to spend on a bronzer...(37 euros)...but with 2 products you got a free goodie bag..and everyone knows I'm a sucker for goodie bags..

Estee Lauder Goodie Bag:

Sumptuous Bold Volume™ Lifting Mascara the SA used this mascara on be and i loved it! but i have a few mascaras to finish before i start using this one.

Advance Night Repair Eye a generous sample..i am currently using this at night..its ok ..no dramatic results so far.

Time Zone Line and Wrinkle Reducing Creme Spf 15  gave this to my mom!

Last month i was wondering around a department store when the Dermaglow SA offered to show me some of their products and give me a few samples...

i tried out the Dermaglow 10% Glycolic Gentle Peel Solution sample she gave me and i was sold..

my skin looked amazing every morning after using this..3 days later i shelled out 60 euros for the full bottle..

unfortunately .. 2 huge cysts popped out of nowhere so i stopped using this product for now..

i really hope im not allergic to glycolic acid :(

..i will start using it once a week to avoid iritation after my skin clears up again.

the sales assistant also gave me a free Dermaglow Sun Protect Spf 45!

Another so-so sunscreen ..will i ever find my Holy Grail SPF??

A friend of mine with similar hair to mine (long, wavy blonde highlights) recommended John Frieda Frizz Ease Curl Around Style Activationg Shampoo. i love it! keeps hair smooth and my waves a lot less frizzy! there was also a 30% off on John Frieda Frizz Ease Hair Serum Extra‑Strength Formula For Coarse/Extremely Frizzy Hair..so i picked it up since i have always wanted to try this. i havent used this yet .. only after my other serum runs out!

My hairdresser recommended Schwarzkopf Repair Rescue Sealed Ends to help with split ends. i wanted to repurchase Loreal Professionnel Tecni.art Spiral Splendour but they didnt carry it any more. These creams both work in similar ways..apply on damp hair and style..i never blow dry my hair .. just wash and braid at night and apply serum to the ends the next morning.

Finally it wouldn't be a haul without a stop at The Body Shop!

 i repurchased The Body Shop Banana Conditioner  and  The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin.. both products i absolutely adore and will buy again and again!!

A new purchase was the The Body Shop Facial Muslin Cloths.

Since i cant try the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish i thought i would use something similar ..the Aloe Calming Faicial Cleanser and a Muslin cloth! i have to say i loveee it!! The muslin cloth is much more gentle on my skin for daily use than the Rounded Handle Facial Brush.

What do you think of these products?

CLINIQUE: Safe is the New Sexy Boxset

CLINIQUE : Safe is the New Sexy Boxset

-SPF 30 Body Cream 150 ml (full size product)
-SPF 30 Face Cream 30 ml
-SPF 30 Face Cream 7 ml + key chain
-Make-up bag

this is my 3rd Clinique Boxset! (check out the other two here & here)

these boxsets are great value for money......you pay for one full size Clinique product and you get a few more generous sample size products and a make-up bag for free.

In With The New.....

a collective haul of products accumulated over the past 2 months...

Avene Cleanance

 Soapless Gel Cleanser

Avene Cleanance High Protection

Spf 30 Broad UVA/UVB protection for

Acne Prone Skin Non-Comedogenic

Bioderma Sebium AI

Intensive Care Acne Prone Skin

The Body Shop Ice Blue Shampoo

The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser for Sensitive Skin

The Body Shop Banana Conditioner

Clinique Long, Pretty Lashes Box Set

High Lenghts Mascara

All About Eyes Eye Cream

Take The Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes & Lips

Clinique High Impact Lip Colour Spf 15

in 10 Coral Crush

Clinique High Impact Lip Colour Spf 15

in 20 Rose Spectrum

Barbara Bort Terra Cotta Abbronzante Compact Tanning Earth Bombay 14

Barbara Bort Shimmering Lip Gloss 35

 Barbara Bort Duo Eyeshadow 22

Apivita Gentle Cleansing Gel for the intimate area

with chamomile & propolis 

Apivita Bath and Shower Gel for Dry Skin

with almond & lavender

as a gift with the April Marie Claire Greece Edition 

<with the May Marie Claire Greece Edition you get a free full size

Coconut Body Butter>

SCARFIX Derma Repair Skincare for Scars

Artexan - Vitamin C and A (Retinol) <the most AMAZING skin cream ever>

Schwarzkopf GLISS 1 minute hair repair

Shea Cashmere Intensive-Nourishing Mask

&

VO5 Moisture Soak ELIXIR

Pre-Shampoo Treatment

<..I've added links to all the products, if you would like a review please ask or for any questions on the products please feel free to comment below..>

have you tried any of these products?

A.C.E. IT !!!!

as you may know if you have been reading my blog I've been suffering from acne for exactly a year and a half now...i was really against going to a dermatologist because i didn't want to take any antibiotics or go on "the pill" but 5 weeks ago my face became EXTREMELY irritated, my pimples were inflamed and there was sever itchiness and even burning...so i couldn't put it off any longer...i finally went to a dermatologist that a friend of mine recommended to me since i first started breaking out...she did put me on antibiotics so the inflammation can go away..but she also informed me on the significance of Vitamins for your skin..

The dermatologist recommended i take Vitamins A+E twice a day for two months as well as my Vitamin C.
She insisted that Vit A+E will help my skin transform from super oily to a normal skin type... at first i didn't really believe her but 5 weeks later i am so suprised with the results...

i still use exactly the same products on my face i used before taking the Vits and now i hardly need to powder my face by noon ...while before ..2 hours after applying my make up you could slip and slide off my T-Zone...

of course i am not a doctor and i can't recommend anything for you to take but if you suffer from super oily skin that breaks your confidence and skin care products just can't control it ask your doctor or pharmacist if it's safe for you to take Vitamin A+E for a few months...

some people can eat crap all day and go to bed every night with make up on their face and just never ever get a pimple...but for most people what they put inside shows up on their skin...thats why you have to combine good skin care products with Vitamins, lots of water and green tea...and really examin what foods can cause you to break out..

do you take any vitamins or supplements for you skin?

My BoDy ShOp CoLLeCtiOn + 1st ReViEw

i used to love The Body Shop products while i was in my early teens but then i just sort of grew out of that phase...months ago i went in to purchase a Coconut Body Butter and they asked me if i wanted a Body Shop Card...so i said yes...I've been taking advantage of the 10% off every purchase and collecting points ever since... my B.S. collection grew over night...some things i love...and some things not so much...

my 1st review...others might follow....

Retractable Blusher Brush

this is the only brush i carry around everyday in my make up bag. this is a very very soft brush. softer than Sigma and Mac but doesn't pick up as much product. i use it to re-apply my face powder during lunch and if i have to re-apply a bit of blusher i use this again and then clean the blush off by swirling it on a tissue..

Definitely worth the 13.50 euros.

Moringa Body Butter

i purchased the little travel size 50 ml one to keep in my desk at work and use as a hand cream.

but the scent was so strong i felt like it gave me a little headache every time i used it. some girls at work loved the smell and asked me what i was using..other girls had the same reaction as me...

i will me trying it out as a body butter now that i brought it home...

Rounded Handle Facial Brush

i call this my baby Clarisonic...I've never used a Clarisonic before but in theory it should work in the same way...you just have to do all the work and swirl it around your face for a minute or two...it's definitely the Old School Clarisonic...this B.S. one is really soft but after i washed it in the dishwasher twice its even better...after i use my milk cleanser to remove my make-up i use this with my gel cleanser and it takes off any residue from the make up or the cleanser...it exfoliates lightly...and makes my skin feel super clean...

for only 4 euros this is definitely one of my favorite Body Shop products i use religiously every night! 

Coconut Oil Hair Shine

this is one of my favourite hair products ever...and I'm really picky with hair products...

my hair is long, thick, wavy...and very out of control and frizzy on very humid days.. so mostly every day :)

this products gets rid of the frizz..makes my hair look smooth and shiny..not at all greasy..

best part...it makes my hair smell all coconuty..i get so many compliments on that!

Tea Tree Oil Facial Blotting Tissues

ok so i have very oily skin..combined with hot weather and humidity it's trouble!! i need to powder up every few hours or else i just look like a mess...but before i re-apply powder i like to absorb some of the oilyness using these blotting tissues..they work better than toilet paper (haha!) but i feel sometimes that they are too thin...i need 2 tissues each time ... i borrowed a MAC blotting tissue from my friend once and it was much thicker and almost three times the size of these B.S. ones so of course i only needed one...but I'm not sure if the MAC ones are ridiculously priced so if they are I'm sticking to these babies.....

what are your "Hit and Misses" of Body Shop products?

have you tried out these products?

what other Body Shop products would you like me to review?

CoFFee BrEaK???

OK so I'm proud to say that for almost a month now i haven't had a sip of coffee!

this coming to you from a girl who just wasn't happy if she couldn't have her ice caramel latte from Starbucks... so obviously this wasn't an easy decision to make...

"Coffee has a high amount of caffeine (as do many sodas, chocolate, etc..). Caffeine causes the increases release of cortisol, which is the stress hormone and cause sebaceous glands to become overactive."

Basically many doctors believe that coffee/caffeine can be linked to acne breakouts...

I replaced coffee with: a cup or two of organic green tea + lots of water..

The water bottle you see in the pictures is actually the ice tea bottles you get at Starbucks.i much prefer it than plastic bottles. i try to fill the bottle up with water at least 4 times during the work day.

that's about 2 litres.

Some argue that if you're suffering from acne you should also eliminate tea from your diet as it contains caffeine as well. But a cup of green tea contains half the caffeine a cup of coffee contains...plus green tea has a high content of antioxidants and nutrients.

  

The first Monday morning it felt weird making tea while everyone else got their coffee fix..

But strangely enough making the decision was a lot harder than keeping it...

Every time i felt a bit tired or sleepy throughout the day I'd just have another glass of water... 

OuTcOmE:

• An unexpected benefit was no more insomnia for me!!! I've always had a very hard time falling asleep since i was a child...it doesn't matter how tired i am or if i was awake for 24 hours...i always needed at least an hour in bed before i could fall asleep.. Now even though i had a lot more energy during the day i was in bed sleeping by 10:30 for a whole week straight..I never woke up in the middle of the night either which i used to do all the time..
• Also something i heard might happen but didn't expect was slimming down around my waist area. I'm an apple shaped girl all the way (skinny legs, if any fat in the stomach area) so i was so excited not to feel as bloated as i used to...
• energy levels are a lot higher than normal! i also hardly ever had my afternoon chocolate treat

overall my skin has not cleared up but I'm very much enjoying the benefits of green tea + water so i won't be straying any time soon....

ThiS Or ThAt: TBS Aloe Calming Cleanser ? Korres WhiteTea 3in1 Cleansing Water ? Korres Orange Blossom Cleansing Emulsion ?

OK so a little update...last week i started an "aesthitician" course..you don't become a professional aesthitician from this course...you just learn the basics and the secrets from a professional... i would love to discuss what i learn each week :)
so basically in a class of 11 girls not one of us cleans her face correctly every night! the numbers are against us... apparently the right way consists of:
*a cream or oil-based cleanser to remove first thick layer of make-up
*a gentle eye make-up remover
*2 big round facial cleansing sponges or cotton pads
*a gel cleanser

at this point we will ignore toning, pealing, scrubs, masks and moisturizing!

Since i only use 1 of my 5 gel cleansers to remove my make-up in the shower i decided to take her advice and also include a "proper" make up remover in my night regimen. i have very bad break outs at the moment and i am looking for something simple, natural as possible, ...and affordable!

My 3 picks ....help me decide with your comments and feedback!!!

No.1 : Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser

Best if you want to: Sooth your sensitive skin with a mild, soap-free cleansing lotion that gently, but thoroughly, removes make-up and impurities.

Want to purchase because: i hope it will calm my irritated, sensitive, oily, acne prone skin...plus i like the fact that you can rinse this off with water if you don't feel like using cotton pads (which i don't)

Second Thought: worried it might leave a residue on my face or even break me out!

No. 2: Korres Orange Blossom Cleansing & Moisturizing Emulsion

Action: Rich in Active Aloe, the Orange blossom emulsion gently cleanses and moisturises; it removes make-up, sebum and dirt, allowing the skin to breathe. The Cypress active extract, rich in tannins, exerts remarkable astringent and antibacterial properties, while Calendula soothes inflammations of oily skin. The Orange blossom distillate comforts and refreshes the skin.

Want to purchase because: this sounds like it calms the skin..but also fights blemishes in a gentle way
Second Thought: again worried about leaving a residue on my face or even breaking me out! Not sure if you can rinse off as well.


No. 3: Korres White Tea 3in1 Cleansing Water
A soap-free, 3in1 water that removes everyday impurities, face and eye makeup while also toning the skin. The Organic white tea extract is a rich source of antioxidants to fight off free radical damage, while the astringent Hamamelis extract tightens pores and soothes and calms the skin. And because of it’s natural ingredients, this cleansing water won’t irritate the eyes - could you ask for more?

Want to purchase because: deep down I'm secretly scared of cream cleansers for my oily acne prone skin so this sounds ideal...i saw this in the shop today...it really does look like water...
Second Thought: you can only use this by applying on a cotton pad...and because its so watery i will probably use it up a lot quicker than the others....


I've never thought this seriously about buying a product before..I'm usually an impulse buyer (see 5 gel cleansers:)) but some advice from a professional ...do your homework before you purchase....!!

Free MaKe Up LeSsOnS!!! ... BaSiC MaKe Up 101

i don't know about you guys but i am absolutely obsessed with beauty gurus on You Tube!

ok so my make-up obsession started about a year ago. In August 2009 while i was vacationing at my friends summer house all of a sudden...(i mean from one day to the next)....i started getting horrible cystic acne breakouts!!! i thought it might have been an allergic reaction or something but it was just not going away...

so while before this i was obsessed with fashion...clothes..accessories... and i just dabbed on lip gloss and maybe some mascara in the morning....my obsession shifted towards make-up, specifically how to cover up the spots but still look as natural as possible...

that is how i discovered make-up gurus on YouTube...since then i don't know if my techniques have improved ...but i know my make up collection has...

i have a couple favourite gurus that i absolutely adore (a variety of professional make-up artists but also normal girls & boys with a fixation for cosmetics)....but there is one ... that when i watch her videos i feel like I'm in class and should be taking notes!!!! :) its just the way she explains it ...i just learn so much with every video... i also love her videos because she really goes into depth and covers a wider range of subjects

i probably watched each one at least 2-3 times....if you guys are also make-up obsessed or just  want to learn the basics...this is a great and free way!

Check out make up artist Lisa Eldridge's YouTube Channel and Website

I just wanted to share this with you...Let me know what you think!!!

Who is your favourite YuoTube Beauty Guru?

AtHeNs CoSmEtiCs HauL: Korres. Apitiva. L'Oreal

I repurchased 2 tubes of my favourite mascara (that definitely deserves the hype) L'oreal Voluminous because they don't sell it where i live. Plus it was only 10 euros each (3 euros cheaper than the Athens Duty Free).

I found a great offer in Athens Duty Free...4 full size KORRES products for 60% off. I only spent 23 euros! The package included: Multivitamin Compact Powder Lightweight Matte Finish (shade: MVP2), Ginger & Vitamins Lightweight Foundation SPF10 (shade: LF3), Wild Rose Concealer (shade: WRC3) and Mango Butter Lipstick SPF10 (shade: 12 Frost Pink).

The shop assistant there was kind enough to give me a couple of samples because i told her i wanted to try the KORRES brand for a while now. The samples i got: White Tea Facial Fluid Gel cleanser, Quercetin & Oak Antiageing Antiwrinkle Night Cream and Acacia Milk Conditioner for dry hair.

At the drugstore next to our hotel i bought 3 KORRES 10 ml packs for only 4 euros! i got Pomegranate Facial Scrub and Mask for oily/combination skin and Yogurt Mask for normal/combination skin.

At the drugstore for only 6 euros i also got 4  8ml packets of APIVITA "express beauty deep cleansing mask with green clay"  and 2  10ml packets of APIVITA "anti-oxidant face mask with tomato". If you are not familiar with the APIVITA brand they are also a greek brand like KORRES that believe in natural, pure products. The masks i bought are paraben,silicone, propylene glycol free.

At some point (after i use up all the products i have in my skincare drawer) i only want to use healthy, natural products because my skin is so sensitive and irritated all the time and i hope that will be the answer to all my skin problems. Plus i prefer supporting companies that don't shove a bunch of chemicals, that will eventually harm you, into their products.

If you are interested i will be happy to review any of these products. Have you tried the KORRES or APIVITA brands? What are your thoughts on "natural" cosmetics?



Current obsession: oLiViA PaLeRmO's GoRgEoUs sKiN

Lately I’ve been obsessing over how beautiful Olivia Palermo’s skin is. Ok, I know she is obviously wearing make-up when she’s photographed or when she’s on T.V… But you definitely can tell that her skin is immaculate, gorgeous and has a glow to it that you can’t fake with make-up. I am officially obsessed. I read a while back that she gets a facial every month religiously. I’ve been getting facials at my aesthetician every month for the past 10 months and my skin looks nothing like Olivia’s. L 

Do you know any other skin tips that Olivia might have? What are your secrets to beautiful, clear, glowing skin?

(The pictures are not mine. They belong to their rightful owners.)